Ford’s proposed gun bill has many major business groups up in arms

Wednesday

A House committee is considering a bill that would prohibit most private employers from telling employees they can’t keep a legal firearm in their own locked vehicles parked at work.

MONTGOMERY — A House committee is considering a bill that would prohibit most private employers from telling employees they can’t keep a legal firearm in their own locked vehicles parked at work.Major business groups opposed the bill by Rep. Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, that was the subject of a Wednesday public hearing in the House Commerce Committee.“You must provide a safe workplace for employees,” said Business Council of Alabama lobbyist Anita Archie. “This limits our ability to provide a safe workplace.”Michael Sullivan, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, said the government cannot violate the U.S. Constitution that he said guarantees the right to possess firearms.The bill would allow any citizen who has a pistol permit from the local sheriff to keep a firearm in his or her vehicle while parked at work. “The civil rights of private citizens cannot be obstructed or violated by the government in disregard of their safety of going to and from work,” Sullivan said.The recent triple murders and injuries at the University of Alabama in Huntsville figured in discussions at the public hearing.A university professor, Amy Bishop, is charged with capital murder in the shooting deaths of three colleagues and the wounding of three others using a gun she brought inside the university.“I can’t believe you’re even discussing this,” Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, said.“The timing is very bad,” said Warren, a self-described “pistol-packing Mama.”While the bill says it would prohibit a “public” employer from establishing anti-gun-possession policies, Sullivan said it excludes universities and other public employers from the requirements. Also excluded are Alabama Power Co., co-generators of electricity, cooperatives, electricity transmission companies and business-owned vehicles.Alabama Power Co. spokesman Michael Sznajderman said the utility asked to be excluded.“We operate numerous power generators (and a nuclear power plant), and we have company policies that restrict our employees at facilities,” he said.Sznajderman said weapons also are prohibited at “critical infrastructures” such as nuclear plants.Many of the committee members own businesses and as employers said they would dislike not being able to prohibit weapons on their private property, even in a private vehicle in a parking lot.Insurance businessman Rep. A.J. McCampbell, D-Gallion, a former police officer, asked what might happen if a disgruntled and angry employee had a weapon in his or her vehicle that was readily accessible. That was the case at UAH.McCampbell said having to retrieve a gun from home at least would give an employer a chance to call police. “I would rather have them go get a gun at home and take it out on me rather than go out to their car,” he said.Rep. Duwayne Bridges, R-Valley, said he believes his life was saved by a gun-toting employee when he was attacked and knifed in his business parking lot 30 years ago. He said the employee fired his gun in the air, scaring off attackers.The committee did not vote on the bill, as is the custom after a public hearing, but will vote later, said committee Chairman Rep. Frank McDaniel, D-Albertville.

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